thats not really true, i know several people that make good money from buying, rebuilding and selling salvaged vehicles. my father is one of those. you'd be suprised how many people are happy to get a nearly new low mileage vehicle for 3/4 the price of a new one. if the vehicle is repaired correctly there will be no issues with it. my wife drives one, i have 2 of them, my parents each drive salvage vehicles and most of my dads freinds drive salvage vehicles and non have experienced issues becuase of the repairs. but most people that buy them dont buy them for resale, most just want a cheap newer vehicle.

 

The guy I bought it from says he rebuilds one truck a year. He rebuilds a truck, drives it for a year to get the kinks out, and sells it. Then does it again. He only does late model F150's because he is familiar with them and can get them done quick - and he has a good collection of parts for them.

He said he hasn't made a truck payment in over 20 years and he's always driving a new truck.

Smart guy.

 

At the end of the 2004 model year, there was a total of $5,000 in rebates. I bought my truck for dealer invoice less $5,000 in rebates. The MSRP was a little over $31,000 and I paid $22,549. NADA retail for my truck was over $26,000 when I bought it. The book "value" and reality were far apart.

Ken

 

Nice work guys. I am doing the same thing right now with my 08 60th anniversary with 21000 on it . I'll probably have about 15,000 in mine when done. I believe it isn't about the money u save but, the pride seeing the before and after pics. I like when it is all done and someone asks "How much you have to pay for that?" Then I can smile and say 8,700.

before

About week and a half into it right now

 

I really don't know how you only had 13,000 in yours the parts are extremely expensive for these truck. All the salvage yards think there stuff is worth the price of gold. I just can't see paying them 3/4 price of new when there stuff isn't worth a 1/4. Always get the stuff that's bent, dragged across the concrete, scratched, and they must have some great bodymen work for them cause there hour dent is usaully about 3-4 hrs.

 

This is really cool. Can you take a lot of pictures of this. I need to learn how to do repair to the cab area. When you weld the new cab parts on, how do you ensure they are square and correctly fitted?

 

I got really lucky with finding parts cheap. I did it in 2005 so there really werent that many trucks out there getting wrecked and needing parts. I found the frame with a left wheel assembly, brake lines, electric lines, from a roll over for $900. Found the front Diff for $150 on ebay. I also had my neighbor get me discounts on anything I had to buy new at Ford.

 

What are you going to do with the bed. Are you just going to replace the bed? Are you going to reskin the bed panels? Please take lots of pics...and pics of your welds, etc.

 

Well I can tell you one thing about getting everything square takes alot of time. I've spent about 8hrs now just fitting the doors and cab. What I do is get everything preped then put it all together using self tapping sheetmetal screws. This truck the key was windshield and doors. Once I got all these to fit correctly i am square plus alot of cross measurements from used cab. I have to wait for back glass tomorrow to fit before I start welding. The bed I am replacing the whole box. Just two boxsides would have costed more than the used box that came with tailgate and sprayed bedliner.I have about 4,000 just in the used parts but, lots of extras if some one needs. I'll keep taking pics.

 

Awesome...really cool project.